Where does “jerky” come from?

Jerky derives from English jerk, which comes from Quechua ch'arki, a dried meat preparation, with the English diminutive suffix -y added.

jerky (English): Characterized by physical jerking; Having the...

Definitions

jerky traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

Step	Language	Word	Meaning
1	English	jerk	A sudden, often uncontrolled movement, especially...
2	Middle English	yerk	sudden motion
3	Old English	ġearc	active, quick; ready, active, quick

Step	Language	Word	Meaning
1	Spanish	charqui	jerky
2	Quechua	ch'arki	thin, wretched; miserly, stingy, miserable, mean;...